Chugworth Academy Vol. 1Review

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Here's one your parents will hate!

By A.E. Sparrow

Many a webcomic eventually finds its way to the world of print, and Seven Seas Entertainment has worked hard to bring several titles into the limelight recently, like Earthsong and Inverloch. Another such title is Chugworth Academy, which comes off as more of a comic strip collection than a continuous full-fledged comic, but these short strips sometimes link together to carry a story arc. Think PVP more than Megatokyo, in other words.

Let's get one thing clear right off the bat. Chugworth's not for the kiddies, easily offended, fat, Christian, Asian, prudish . . . oh to hell with it. Something at some point in this strip is likely to offend you. Yes, you. The best advice I can give you? Keep reading. In a couple more strips you'll be laughing your ass off again, and all will be forgotten. To their credit, the creators put a warning up on their website that warns, "if you are offended by such things, do me a favour and don't enter this website so you can just bitch about it to me afterwards," which should be fair enough warning for you. The only caveat emptor I would add to the print version is the 16+ rating Seven Seas gave it. I'm no prude, but I would definitely lump this in the M for Mature group, mainly for sexual content.

Okay, so it's edgy, sexy and you're going to Hell for reading it, but is it any good? To be honest, it suffers from the same problem most strip comics have, and that's the roller coaster where you have the strips that will make you wet yourself from laughing too hard, followed by the ones that are either way above your head, make sense only to the creators, or simply aren't funny. And that's not just a problem unique to this book. Everyone, from the Penny Arcade guys right down to Bill Watterson of Calvin & Hobbes have a few strips in their arsenal that don't quite live up to the bar they set. It's to be expected, and this book isn't immune to the problem.

That doesn't mean you're not going to smile - a lot. The story, such as it is, revolves around Sally Richards, 16-year old student, tennis ace and regular booty call for her boyfriend, Kiyoshi. If you're a nice guy who's seen the girl you want end up with the jerk, you've met Kiyoshi. He'd be the jerk, if you were wondering. Think Slick from Ishida's Sinfest, only not nearly as likeable. Rounding out the main cast are Ellice, a brainless but well-endowed blonde, and Sally's cousin, Chloe, who answers the unasked question of what the offspring of a goth and a metalhead might look like. It's an engaging group and there are enough appearances by side characters like airhead Bunnie Mittens and Kiyoshi's "Engrish-speaking" father to keep the strip from getting into a routine.

While the creators go to some length to question whether what they create is a "manga" or not (turn immediately to page #106 and you'll see what I mean (incidentally one of my personal favorites in the book)), there's no denying the artistic style is certainly there. Dave Cheung draws a mean manga-babe, but he also writes them (along with co-writer Jamal Joseph, Jr.) well enough to keep them from turning into nothing more than boy-toys. Yeah, there's plenty of fan service to be found in this book, but well-drawn fan service. The pin-ups section of the female characters in the back of the book is particularly nice.

The real unexpected stars of this book, however, are the bonus "Rabbit Diary" section, which features a peek into the life of Bunnie Mittens and her take on the events that happen in the strips (Important: read this section after you've read the main content in the book!), and the "Pancake "strips toward the back. It's always great when a book can cram in the extras, and Chugworth Academy doesn't disappoint in that area.

Appreciation for this book is really in the eye of the beholder. Fans of the webcomic have probably already snatched this up in droves. Newcomers will probably appreciate Cheung's graphic style and the irreverent brand of humor he and Joseph Jr., serve up. Easily offended? Don't even bother looking in this book's general direction. For the most part, I would imagine Chugworth Academy Volume One is enough to get you to go to their website and bookmark it while you're waiting for Volume Two to come out. Here's hoping it won't be a long wait.